David's Hospital Pics

David's Birth Story

38 Weeks Pregnant, Tuesday, October 4, 2011: The beginning of the morning started off as most mornings do. Brad and Scott got ready to leave for work and school, and we all gathered together in the girls' room for family prayer. As Brad was just about to leave, I told him I had been feeling painful contractions since I woke up that morning, and that I might end up calling him from work if it looked like I might be in real labor. I kissed Brad goodbye and then sat on the edge of my bed. Within moments I felt a large contraction, and then something I did not expect-- a tiny gush of water.

I rushed to the bathroom wondering if I had wet myself. Nothing like that had happened to me before. Instinct told me I was leaking amniotic fluid, but I did not want to jump to that conclusion yet. I stuck a pad in my underwear and went back to my regular morning activities. A few minutes passed and I felt another little trickle. I called Brad and told him to come home.

Brad came home and immediately began getting to work packing things and organizing things. I called my doctor and they told me to come in if I suspected that my water broke. I was planning on waiting until my contractions became more intense before leaving for the hospital, but since I tested positive with Strep-B, I needed to be admitted into Labor and Delivery as soon as possible. We spent the next hour or so preparing to leave and making arrangements for the children. Meanwhile, my contractions were beginning to become more regular-- about every 3 to 5 minutes. I went to take a shower right before we left and that's where I knew without any doubt that my water broke, because it began trickling down my leg full force as I stepped into the shower.

We were immediately admitted when we arrived at the hospital. My labor and delivery nurse, Corene, began monitoring me and baby David to make sure we were progressing okay. Corene confirmed that I had indeed broken my water and I was about 3 cm dilated. She was not pleased, however, with how David was progressing. David's heartbeat was not normal, and I had not felt any movement from him since early that morning. Corene notified my doctor immediately. Dr. Kaelberer arrived at my room, checked our progress, and concluded that I needed an emergency C-section. Before I knew it, I was being whisked away in my bed out of my room and into the hallway.

Everything happened in a blur, but I was not scared or worried. I remained calm. For some reason I knew everything was going to be okay, even though all of my expectations and plans were changing right before my eyes. I only began to get emotional when I realized that having a C-section would mean I would end up being away from Lizzy longer than I had planned, and that broke my heart.

The surgery itself went very well-- far better than I expected. Even when the doctor told me I would feel pressure and tugging, I did not feel a thing. I felt as if I was floating on a little cloud, high up in the air, far away from everything sharp and pointy down below. The surgery was very relaxing, actually, even though it was under very stressful circumstances. I'm sure all the drugs they pumped into me was what made me feel so relaxed.

I remember hearing David cry for the first time. It seemed surreal. Was that really my baby? Was that person making that noise really my child? A huge smile came to my face as I realized that it was him and that he was alive and seemed well. Brad was told to go see him. My heart screamed out go, go, go! I wanted him to take as many pictures and videos as he could since I couldn't see anything behind the blue curtain. Then I waited. I waited and waited and waited. Why wasn't David crying again? I heard a little bit of commotion, but I could not tell what was going on exactly. Then I heard him cry again. It was a weak cry, but it was still a cry. Brad told me he weighed 7 pounds, 7 ounces and he measured 21 inches long. He was born at 12:40 pm on Tuesday, October 4, 2011.

I later found out that David had stopped breathing while the nurses were attending him and had grown pale and limp. I am so glad I did not know that at the time!

The second half of the surgery seemed to take a very long time. The nurses were working on David the entire time a few yards away from me, though I could not see what they were doing. I did hear the nurses say that David would not stop peeing and pooping on them. Hearing that made me smile. When it was time for me to leave the room, they brought David to me. He was all bundled up in several blankets, with only his face showing. I noticed that he had very round cheeks and cute puckered up lips. I heard one of the nurses say, “I think he has his daddy's coloring.” I was a little loopy and tried to kiss his face, but I was wearing an oxygen mask so all I did was bonk him on his face. Instead of kissing him I petted his checks with my fingers. His skin was so soft and perfect.

After being wheeled back into the labor and delivery room, I found myself alone and shaking. I was freezing cold. It took Brad a while to come see me again. He told me David was having a hard time breathing on his own. I remember feeling a little worried and sad, but at the same time I was not too concerned. After all, Lizzy had a little trouble breathing after she was born, too, but she was fine and normal within an hour. I had expected the same thing to happen with David as well. I did not realize how serious the situation truly was until later.

Over the space of the next few hours, we learned just how serious little David's condition was. Not only was he having trouble breathing and needed assistance, but he also had hyperglycemia and did not have enough glucose in his blood. Later we found out that he had an infection as well; a mystery infection that he caught somehow before he was born. Little David was very sick and was battling for his life. If my water had not broken, or if I had refused to have the C-section and insisted on a natural birth, little David would have most likely died.

My heart was aching to see David after being wheeled into the maternity ward. I was told he would not be leaving the NICU during my stay at the hospital, so in order to see him I would have to visit the NICU on the first floor. I wanted to see him so badly, but I had a mild fever the first few hours after my C-section, and I was prohibited from seeing David until my temperature returned to normal. As soon as the fever was gone, the nurses let me go downstairs to the NICU with Brad to see our little son. It was around11:00 pm at night-- so almost 12 hours since he had been born. He looked so sad and helpless in this little bed covered with wires and tubes around him. I remember reaching in to touch his perfect little feet. His skin was so light and pale, and his eyebrows and eyelashes were completely blond. His hair was a golden-brown color. I told Brad, “He doesn't look anything like me!” We sang “Candy Hearts and Paper Flowers” to him, and “All the Pretty Little Horses.” I choked up during the songs and was not able to finish them.

Holding David for the first time was an experience I will never forget as long as I live. Brad and I went to see David the following night. I did not expect to be given the chance to hold Baby David since he looked so poorly the day before, so it took me by surprise when the nurse told me I could hold him. The nurse handed me David and I held him Kangaroo style, skin on skin on my bare chest (this is called Kangaroo Care). I remember breaking into tears and sobbing with Brad as I held David in my arms for the first time. David was so tiny and sweet. I felt so much love for him and all I wanted was for him to get better quickly, so I could take him home and hold him all the time.

The next few days went by slowly and painfully. Baby David continued to get stronger and healthier every day, but it was still a fight for him, and we had disappointments and scares along the way. After I was discharged, Brad and I had to figure out the endless juggling act of spending time with the kids at home and seeing baby David at the hospital. We spent a lot of time driving to the NICU and back home again after I was discharged, and I spent a lot of hours pumping milk . David spent a total of 10 days in the NICU. He came home on October 14, 2011. We are thrilled to have him home with us.

I love you so much, David! We are so happy to have you in our family.

Love always,

Your Mama

David Has Arrived!

Baby David arrived on October 4th, 2011.
He weighed 7 pounds, 7 ounces and he's 21 inches long.

The Highlight of My Day: September 2011

Something good happens each day. Here's what happened in September 2011:

Thu 9/1/11: Today was another day at Court for Brad. I went with him this time, and so did Brad's dad. Things are headed in the right direction. We're hopeful things can get better and the litigation can end soon.

Fri 9/2/11: Lizzy cut her hair for the first time today. I was very sad to see her perfect little locks of light brown hair lying on the bathroom floor. Evil scissors! But at least she only has the attention span of a two-year-old and didn't get very far. Plus, no one would be able to notice it unless I point it out. One advantage for having curly hair.

Sat 9/3/11: We went to the storage unit today, and I began another project of sorting through baby clothes and organizing DI piles. I got done a lot of good work today. I'm excited that baby David will be joining our family soon!

Sun 9/4/11: Lizzy, as always, does the cutest things in church every Sunday. I love how she tries to sing out of the hymn books, how she gets excited when the sacrament is passed, and how she always wants to participate in prayer time. She loves the routine of going to church.

Mon 9/5/11: We went to the Harman's for our last pool party of the year! The weather was overcast and the water was cold, but we still had a blast. Lizzy learned to kick her legs while sitting in her floating seat to get places. It helped her stay warmer longer, too.

Tue 9/6/11: I bought some children books from the library tonight for only $1.00 total. That was nice! Lizzy, as usual, had a wonderful time at the library. It's one of her favorite places.

Wed 9/7/11: I made yummy homemade zucchini bread tonight and it made my kitchen smell like Christmas. Mmm Mmm!

Thu 9/8/11: I went to see my OBGYN today. We are now down to once-a-week appointments. Can't believe how quickly time is flying!

Fri 9/9/11: It was a nice and busy Friday night! I made beef stew for dinner tonight and everyone liked it. Emma's friend, Makenna spent the night with Emma. Scott earned the right to play video games again, so he had a fun evening on the laptop. We all went to Brad's volleyball game to watch him play.

Sat 9/10/11: Brad and I got done a LOT of chores today. My room is ready for baby stuff now. I can't help but feel relieved!

Sun 9/11/11: Today I feel overwhelmingly blessed to be married to my wonderful husband. I guess that's what happens when two of the lessons I heard in church were on marriage. My husband is my best friend and I love him with all my heart.

Mon 9/12/11: I can't believe I'm 35 weeks pregnant now! Wow, has the time flown by! I feel very good for being so far along in my pregnancy. My hips give me grief on occasion, and I still battle fatigue at times, but overall I feel pretty good.

Tue 9/13/11: I made Shepherd's Pie for dinner tonight. It's definitely a family favorite. Emma had to go back for seconds.

Wed 9/14/11: Scott taught Lizzy to say "Emma is crazy" today, and in return Emma taught Lizzy to say "Scott is weird." Silly siblings!

Thu 9/15/11: We all had dinner tonight at Wendy's before Emma's therapy appointment. The location we went to had some free candy, balloons, and free frosty coupons, which we were not expecting. Lizzy loved her balloon the best.

Fri 9/16/11: My OBGYN told me I am already a cm dilated and the baby's head is nice and low. Not too much longer now! Exactly one month until my due date!

Sat 9/17/11: We took Lizzy to a petting zoo at the library today. There were cute tiny horses there as well as a baby lama and a few pygmy goats. We also officially introduced Lizzy to Pixar's Ratatouille today. She loved it! I enjoyed watching it, too, although it made me really hungry.

Sun 9/18/11: Scott was sustained and ordained a Teacher in church today. We celebrated Scott's birthday in the evening with our extended family members. Brad made two birthday cakes. It was nice spending time with Brad's family.

Mon 9/19/11: I made my fabulous homemade chili for dinner tonight. Emma, of course, was thrilled. She loves my homemade chili.

Tue 9/20/11: Today Lizzy saw me covering my face with my hands. I think she thought I was feeling sad, because she came up to me and said in her very soothing 2-year-old voice, "It's okay, Mommy. Papa is come home." She thought I was sad because Brad was at work. It was so cute! It made me laugh.

Wed 9/21/11: I hate to say it, but I thoroughly enjoyed having a dog-free day today without Miko. I'm grateful we were able to find a good home for her yesterday. Plus it's nice having the extra $200 in the savings account.

Thu 9/22/11: Emmy got stung by a yellow jacket today. Poor girl. She's fine, though. I enjoyed spending some extra time with her.

Fri 9/23/11: I was in and out of my doctor's appointment within 20 minutes! It was a record!

Sat 9/24/11: We went to the DI and I found more baby clothes... we went to Sam's Club and stocked up on groceries... we took Lizzy to the park so she could get some one-on-one time... and we bought a baby bathtub from off a KSL ad. We're getting ready for Baby David to come!

Sun 9/25/11: Full-term today! I'm 37 weeks! Sister Thompson announced in Relief Society that I only had three weeks left. Made me laugh. ;)

Mon 9/26/11: Today is my Mama's birthday. I called her up this morning to wish her a Happy Birthday, and to have Lizzy sing to her. First Lizzy was too shy to sing, but by the end of the conversation she was brave enough and sang to Grandma. Lizzy is such a sweetie!

Tue 9/27/11: Bradley brought me home another Milky Way candy bite from work today. He is such a sweet and thoughtful husband. Makes me happy every time!

Wed 9/28/11: I had plenty of energy for shopping today! I definitely have more motivation and stamina that I did weeks previously, and I'm beginning to "nest" like crazy.

Thu 9/29/11: Lizzy had fun flirting with my doctor today and making everyone at the practice smile. She's such a friendly little gal. We stopped by the park on the way home and Lizzy had a great time playing on the play equipment, looking at the ducks, throwing rocks in the pond, and watching the dogs at the dog park. I love spending time with my daughter.

Fri 9/30/11: Spending some alone time with my hubby was definitely the highlight of my day. I'm so blessed to be married to such a wonderful guy. He makes me so happy.

Scott Turned 14!

The boy keeps growing up more and more! I bought Scott a men's t-shirt the other day, thinking it would be too big for him and he would have to grow into it. He put it on and it fit like a glove. Since when did he turn into a man? And he's not even done growing yet!

Anyway, this is what Scott has to say about himself this year, which is almost exactly what he said about himself last year:

Favorite Color: Red
Favorite Food: Pepperoni Pizza
Favorite Movies: All the Star Wars movies
Favorite Authors: Erin Hunter and Avi
Favorite Animals: Rats and bunnies
Favorite Superhero: SPIDER-MAN!
Favorite Video Games: Spider-man, Portal, Team Fortress 2
Favorite Song: Spider-man theme song
Activities and Hobbies: Video games, LEGOs, and action figures
Goals for the next year: Being better in math and science
I would describe myself as: Smart, geeky, and funny

I think Scott has definitely figured out what he likes and what he doesn't like. No more drastic changes every year. I'm proud of the young man he has become and for the man he's changing into. I completely agree with his statement that he is smart, geeky, and funny. He is witty, good at chess, and has a great sense of humor. He is also kind, introverted, gentle, obedient, and helpful. I love watching him interact with his sisters. He is such a good older brother. He makes our family laugh and joke around. He makes his baby sister giggle with glee. He's extremely talented and artistic. I can't wait to see what the future has in store for him.

Happy Birthday, Scott-Man!

The Highlight of My Day: August 2011

Something good happens each day. Here's what happened in August:

Mon 8/1/11: We headed back to Utah today and stayed the night in Mesquite. It was so nice getting in the pool at the end of the day. It was HOT in Mesquite. Lizzy, Scott, and Emma enjoyed the pool the most. Brad didn't like the chlorine.

Tue 8/2/11: We made it home safely and efficiently! We stopped in St. George for an hour and played in the water fountains there. Lizzy would have stayed there all day if we had let her.

Wed 8/3/11: I took Miko to the vet this morning to get spayed. Everyone at the vet's office were puzzled by what kind of dog Miko was. She is such a weird looking little dog, but she has a wonderful little personality. She became best friends with everyone there.

Thu 8/4/11: We went to Emma's school tonight to find out which class she'll be in this year. She was very happy to see she would be in the same class as Makenna.

Fri 8/5/11: Brad, Lizzy, and I were cuddling in bed today, and Bradley asked Lizzy, "Are you amazing?" Lizzy, without any hesitation, replied confidently, "Yes." We all laughed, including Lizzy.

Sat 8/6/11: Cleared out a bunch of baby clothes out of the storage unit today. I found out I had more boy clothes than I thought I did.

Sun 8/7/11: Today was Ryan's priesthood ordination. We joined the Bruce Clan at their ward, then we met up with them later at their house for dinner. We enjoyed playing Loralee's homemade family game: Relativity.

Mon 8/8/11: Susie stopped by to spend the night with us on her way back to Omaha! She joined us for Family Home Evening and played a very competitive game of tether-ball with Brad. We had ice cream and berry smoothie for dessert.

Tue 8/9/11: Scott is a happy kid tonight! His best friend, Jacob, came over to spend time with him. It's been awhile since they've been together.

Wed 8/10/11: I had enough energy to go to my OBGYN appointment today, swing by Sam's Club afterward, and make a big, delicious spaghetti meal in the evening. My doctor said I passed the three hour glucose test-- HOORAY! And he also said I've done a great job maintaining my weight during my pregnancy. That made me happy.

Thu 8/11/11: I went on a walk tonight with my handsome hubby, our accessorized daughter, and our funny-looking little maltipoo. It was nice being together as a family, and getting a little exercise.

Fri 8/12/11: I had a fun time singing with Lizzy today. I introduced the song "How Much is that Doggy in the Window" to her last night, and today I introduced "C is for Cookie." She has such an incredible memory! It's amazing how well she remembers the lyrics to songs.

Sat 8/13/11: The five of us went to an outdoor movie night with the Bruce-Clan at a nearby park. Loralee's nephew, Ben, helped organize and put on the event. We watched "How to Train Your Dragon." Scott, Emma, and Lizzy enjoyed spending time with their cousins and eating popcorn, and Emma won a prize in the raffle.

Sun 8/14/11: My highlight of the day was hearing Lizzy excitedly yell, "Mommy! Mommy!" as she hopped out of the van after church. I stayed home from church today because I wasn't feeling well. Brad said she started yelling for me as soon as she left nursery, and she didn't stop until she found me in my room. I love my Lizzy!

Mon 8/15/11: Took a lovely two hour nap today while Lizzy was sleeping. I kept waking up, though, because little David kept doing a jig inside me. He's getting so active! He kept reminding me of Kermit the Frog dancing to "Happy Feet."

Tue 8/16/11: Lizzy watched the entire full-length movie of "The Princess Bride" tonight. Pretty impressive for a two-year-old! At the end of the movie she excitedly told me, "Mommy! I like a movie!" She loved it! Looks like we have another Princess Bride fan in the family.

Wed 8/17/11: The power went off this evening. I had fun lighting up the house with candles and giving Lizzy the flashlight to play with. Lizzy was puzzled by why the lights wouldn't turn on. The power came back on a few hours later with lights turning on automatically and the refrigerator and air-conditioning humming. Lizzy was so excited she screamed out, "I did it! I did it!"

Thu 8/18/11: I had a fun conversation with Scott today about his voice changing and how manly he's getting. Scott is growing up so fast! I can't believe he's almost 14.

Fri 8/19/11: Brad was a big help today, helping me get done chores and making me breakfast. He's such a good husband. In the evening we went shopping together and then stopped to get shakes on the way home. I saw my stake YW president from when I was a Young Women in California and stopped to say hi.

Sat 8/20/11: We had a family picnic in remembrance of Grandma North's birthday at the West Jordan City Park with Marilyn, James, and Grandpa North. We played a round of croquet, and Lizzy had fun running through the grass and taking pictures. Later in the evening we had a BBQ with the Bruce Clan at our house.

Sun 8/21/11: Scott and I watched "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" today. In the evening, we all went to the cemetery to visit Grandma North's grave.

Mon 8/22/11: Orange and vanilla ice cream smoothie for dessert tonight was mmm mmm, good! Great idea, Scott! A yummy dessert to start off the school year.

Tue 8/23/11: I love how excited Lizzy gets when we go to the library every week. Her favorite parts about going to the library are driving past the horse stables, seeing the lizard at the library, and getting a drink at the drinking fountain.

Wed 8/24/11: Lizzy sang a duet with me tonight while I sang "Candy Hearts and Paper Flowers" to Emma at bedtime. I was stroking Emma's back and Lizzy began stroking her back, too. It was very sweet. I love my girls.

Thu 8/25/11: I've been having a lot of Emma and me time this week. She was in need of extra attention, as she often does when new transitions happen in her life. Starting a new year of school has been a little hard on her. I love her so much and worry about her often. Tonight I seemed to have gotten through to her a little, and she seems to be doing better.

Fri 8/26/11: I saw my OBGYN today. Baby is doing well! He's getting big and strong, and he seems to be in the right position for birth. Crossing my fingers he continues to be a good boy!

Sat 8/27/11: Brad and I got done a lot of chores today! We cleared up the mountain of laundry in our room and worked on organizing the closet. We're getting our room ready for the baby to come.

Sun 8/28/11: I watched a spectacular lightening storm tonight in bed with Bradley. It was quite a sight.

Mon 8/29/11: I made Book of Mormon reading charts for Scott and Emma today. We had a nice Family Home Evening tonight, talking about Nephi and the brass plates. I felt happy spending time with Scott and Emma. I had sweet moments with both of them today. I love being a part of their lives.

Tue 8/30/11: Felt a little twitterpated today. I found myself smiling to myself at random moments whenever I thought of Bradley. I love my husband!

Wed 8/31/11: Lizzy prayed last night out-loud while Brad was saying the prayer. She copied a few of the things Brad was saying, but she also said many things on her own. She said, "Thank you for a day... thank you for cousins... thank you a Christ... please bless Grandma North... bless Grandpa... bless Grandma... bless Scott's toes... thank you for a day...."

Cute Lizzy Moments: August 2011

A PRESENT FOR DAVID
August 15, 2011

My little girl is such a sweetie! This morning she found a little plush bunny with a blue sweater I bought the other day at the DI. She held it up to show me. I told her it was for Baby David. "Oh, Baby David!" And she came rushing up to me, lifted up my shirt, stuck the bunny on my belly, laid my shirt back down and said, "There! For Baby David!" Baby David hasn't even been born yet and she already wants to share! I think she's going to be a great big sister.

HORSES SAY NAAAAY
August 22, 2011

Having a talkative two-year-old around the house sure makes life entertaining around here. Lizzy says the funniest things sometimes. She always has something to say, and most of the time I can understand it, but not always. This morning I had a fun, brief conversation with her. We were watching horses on Animal Planet, and Lizzy LOVES horses.

Lizzy: "What does a horsy say?"
Me: "Naaaaay!"
Lizzy: "That's right, Mommy!"

We were totally in role reversal during this very short conversation. I love hearing her mimic what she hears me say. In this conversation she was the mommy.

MOUNTAINS
August 28, 2011

Every Sunday morning, Brad or I will usually turn on "Music and the Spoken Word" to hear the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. As soon as I turned on the TV this morning, Lizzy came waltzing into the living room, trying to sway her hips back and forth to the pretty music and attempting to snap her fingers. I wasn't sure if it was really the type of music you would snap your fingers to, but Lizzy was doing it, and she was loving it. She then climbed on the couch next to me and together we listened to a beautiful arrangement of "Climb Every Mountain." During the song, video clips of mountains and other beautiful scenes filled the TV screen. Lizzy got exited by that. When a particular clip of a mountain came on, Lizzy desperately wanted to tell me about it. Her limited vocabulary kept her from using the word "mountain," so she described it to me instead.

Lizzy: "Look! Like a house. Like a rock!"
Me: "That's a mountain."
Lizzy: "Moun-tain."
Me: "You're right. It is like a house and like a rock."

And so the School Year Begins

It's hard to believe how quickly time flies. These two kids are back in school today and starting a whole new chapter in their young lives. I'm looking forward to seeing how well they do. I know they're going to be fabulous!

SNAP! CRACKLE! POP!

I'm 30 weeks pregnant today and I feel like a Rice Krispies jingle. My hips, pelvic bones, and ligaments are popping all over the place, especially in the morning when I just wake up, or if I change positions in the middle of the night. This morning I rolled over slightly in my sleep and my hip popped so loudly it made the baby jump. It was almost as if he were saying, "Whoa! What the heck was that?"

I feel like singing this song every morning.
Snap! Crackle! Pop! Rice Krispies!

I also feel huge and unbalanced. My stomach feels as if it's going to stretch wide open if it gets any bigger than it is. The baby is so big now that I'm constantly aware of every movement he makes. I get the feeling that he's big, strong, and healthy, but he's also not nearly as squirmy as Lizzy was. I hope that means he's going to be a calm baby. I was so spoiled by how good a baby Lizzy was. I'm really crossing my fingers that this little guy will be an easy-going baby, too.

10 more weeks to go! Or maybe even less since Lizzy came almost a week early. We'll see!

The Highlight of My Day: July 2011

Something good happens each day. Here's what happened in July:

Fri 7/1/11: Brad came home early from work today, which of course made Lizzy thrilled. We had to sing "I'm so glad when daddy comes home," since it's her new favorite song.

Sat 7/2/11: We went to Graywhale today and bought a handful of DVDs we wanted, plus Brad got his new White Stripes CD. We bought "The Emperor's New Groove," "Sleeping Beauty," and "Little Dorrit."

Sun 7/3/11: Tonight we watched Sleeping Beauty for Lizzy's first time. Lizzy loved the horse, Sampson. Whenever she saw him running through the forest she would squeal with joy! She also liked the forest animals and the dragon. After we finished watching the movie, I asked Lizzy how she liked it. "I like the horse," she said confidently. "You liked the horse?" I repeated. "Yes," she replied.

Mon 7/4/11: Swimming party at the Harman's for the 4th of July was a blast! It was overcast and rainy, but the temperature was still very hot and humid. Lizzy got cold quickly, so we moved her from the swimming pool to the hot tub often. She had fun sitting in her floaty. She LOVED seeing her relatives and had a lot of fun with her cousins.

Tue 7/5/11: Our baby Pumpkin is a BOY! We are thrilled! I'm so happy the little guy opened his legs for the ultrasound technician. He had them crossed for most of the time. I guess he likes crossing his legs!

Wed 7/6/11: Lizzy decided to help me fold laundry tonight. She's such a big helper! When she came across one of her papa's U2 shirts she got excited and said, "BONO! BONO!" She is definitely her daddy's daughter.

Thu 7/7/11: Brad thinks he knows what to do to fix the van now! He was so stressed about it yesterday.

Fri 7/8/11: Brad fixed the van tonight! Whoo hoo! He's been working so hard on it all week. Tonight we went out to celebrate. We bought some Slurpees then went to the car wash. Lizzy thought the car wash was "scary."

Sat 7/9/11: We spent all morning doing chores then spent the whole afternoon watching "Little Dorrit." Loved it!

Sun 7/10/11: Lizzy tried to say prayers out loud whenever Brad or I prayed today. It's very cute hearing her try to mimic her mama and papa.

Mon 7/11/11: Brad and I went for a walk with Lizzy tonight for FHE. I did okay the first half, which was very enjoyable, but by the second half my hips and lower back were killing me, and I was having round ligament pains. I can totally feel the waddling-duck syndrome coming on. Oh, the joys of pregnancy!

Tue 7/12/11: Lizzy asked me if we could play the "pi-an-oo" this morning. She sang as loud as she could while banging on the keys, "Twinkle, twinkle, lil-star!" In the evening we watched Nanny McPhee Returns. Lizzy LOVES live-action movies. She loved the swimming pigs and farm animals.

Wed 7/13/11: I just love it when my mother intuition takes over and I'm right about something. Now I don't feel crazy anymore.

Thu 7/14/11: Lizzy loves the cartoon "Spirit." She watched it twice today, which I originally didn't intend to happen, but she's gotten pretty smart with the remotes so I let her have fun.

Fri 7/15/11: Scott and Emma came home tonight! Emma in particular was overjoyed to be in her own home. She kept running through the house, seeing what had changed, and talking about how comfortable it will be to sleep in a real bed tonight. She was so happy, it was contagious!

Sat 7/16/11: Brad and I took Scott to see the last Harry Potter movie today while the girls got to play with their cousins. The movie was excellent! We had dinner with the Bruce-Clan after the movie. We watched Megamind when we got home. It was a very nice Saturday.

Sun 7/17/11: A Sunday with all five of us together was great! Lizzy screamed when she saw Scott and Emma in the hallway at church. She loves her brother and sister.

Mon 7/18/11: We had a wonderful Family Home Evening! Pancakes and black berry smoothie for dinner... tether-ball and outdoor play for fun... fireworks when it got dark. Lizzy LOVED the pop-its the best, and Scott and Emma had fun playing with the sparklers.

Tue 7/19/11: I made Grandma North's Mexican casserole tonight for dinner. It definitely reminded me of her. After dinner, Uncle Bob, Aunt Nadine, and Aunt Marian stopped by to visit before heading out to dinner with Grandpa North. It was great seeing them. Lizzy loved all the attention.

Wed 7/20/11: Emma went to Mill Hollow today. She was so excited to go!

Thu 7/21/11: Today was a day of preparation and doctor appointments. I took my glucose test this morning and saw my OBGYN. Scott went to see his podiatrist.

Fri 7/22/11: We drove to St. George today! Lizzy was a perfect angel on our long drive and gave me lots of smiles while she watched "Spirit" on her DVD player. The hotel we stayed in was nice and comfortable. The five of us had a "tooth brushing party" in front of the large bathroom mirror that night, which Lizzy LOVED.

Sat 7/23/11: The drive to Long Beach went by smoothly and quickly. We enjoyed visiting with my family tonight and meeting baby Eric for the first time. I love my little nephew! He's such a cutie!

Sun 7/24/11: Today was Eric's baby blessing. We enjoyed seeing the Montgomery family and having lunch with them. Today I started my third trimester! Baby David is getting bigger and bigger.

Mon 7/25/11: We went swimming at Sheri's condo today. The landscaping there was beautiful. Lizzy loved all the streams and rocks. We had a blast swimming and hanging out in the jacuzzi. We had yummy Buccaneer Pizza for dinner, which of course made Scott and Emma happy. They had pizza for two meals today!

Tue 7/26/11: We went to the Cerritos Library today. Lizzy had a fun time playing in the water fountain fixture outside the library, and she loved the giant fish tank inside the children's section of the library.

Wed 7/27/11: We had lunch and watched a movie with Rachel and Eric today. Then we headed over to Shoreline Village and went on an hour cruise around the harbor. We met up with Rachel, Craig, and Eric again and had dinner together, then we went shopping and bought some funnel cake. Emma found a few nifty things to buy with her vacation allowance, which made her happy.

Thu 7/28/11: Today was Scott's turn to be happy! We went to the Lego Store at Downtown Disney and Scott found a few new toys to add to his collection. We also went to the Rainforest Cafe and had a yummy lunch. In the evening, we met up with my parents and the Montgomerys for dinner at a park in Cerritos. Lizzy enjoyed feeding ducks in the small lake. We watched the second part of "Tin Man" at Rachel's home afterwards.

Fri 7/29/11: Today was a lazy-dazy summer day! We stayed at my parents' house and played all day. Scott and Emma were actually pretty thrilled about that, and Lizzy had fun playing outside and in the play room. In the evening, Rachel and Craig came for over for dinner, then we went to their place to finish "Tin Man."

Sat 7/30/11: Another lazy day! Croissant sandwiches for lunch were a big hit. Mmm mmm! One of my favorite quotes from Lizzy today: "I like to ride a horsies!"

Sun 7/31/11: I enjoyed attending the last of hour of church at the Long Beach First Ward today, and then attending Lakewood 1st Ward to hear Susie speak in Sacrament Meeting. She spoke about temples. She used a quote by Emma during the talk, which Emma liked.